Penicillinase-producing Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Of 83 strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolated in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between April 1979 and August 1980, 10 produced beta-lactamase and had minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of penicillin between 1 and greater than or equal to 4 micrograms/ml. Of the 73 (88%) non-penicillinase-producing strains, 55% had diminished sensitivity to penicillin (MIC = 0.06 micrograms/ml) and 11 (15%) were highly resistant (MICs ranging from 0.5-2 micrograms/ml). This high incidence of resistance may be due to widespread abuse of antibiotics; it also confirms that two mechanisms of resistance to penicillin exist in this species.
D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009344:Neisseria gonorrhoeae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000494:pharmacology; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D010405:Penicillinase / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D010405:Penicillinase; D001618:beta-Lactamases; D010400:Penicillin G